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New school science block at Cheney School up for discussion

THE building of a new science block at an Oxford school will be discussed next week.

Cheney School in Headington wants to build a new two-storey block, which it says will allow it to increase its capacity by 150 pupils over the next five years.

The existing science block will be demolished and will be linked to the rest of the school by a new glazed bridge.

Oxford City Council’s east area planning committee will meet on Wednesday to decide whether the development can go ahead.

Council planning officer Felicity Byrne has recommended that the committee approves the scheme.

She said: “The proposed development provides teaching accommodation, new entrance, gates and railings in a sustainable and appropriate location that preserves and enhances the existing street scene, and special character and appearance of the Headington Hill conservation area in which it lies.

“There would be no harm to residential amenities.”

Oxfordshire County Council has identified an increase in demand for secondary school places by 2017 due to housing to be built in the catchment area. Cheney School has been asked to increase capacity to 1738 pupils.

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